HOLTON, Kan. Jackson County authorities say an apparent propane leak caused an explosion in northeast Kansas last week that killed one man and seriously injured his wife.
Sheriff Tim Morse said Monday a great amount of propane leaked into the home of 61-year-old Billy “Lu” Griffiths and his wife, Teri, in rural Holton on May 10. It’s unclear exactly what sparked the gas but Morse said the explosion was not believed to be a criminal act.
Billy Griffiths died in the blast and his wife was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Original Story:
HOLTON, Kan. Officials in northeastern Kansas say a house explosion has left one man dead and a woman seriously injured.
A propane leak likely triggered the explosion last week that killed Banner Creek Reservoir director Lu Griffiths and seriously injured his wife while leveling their home just north of Holton, Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse said Monday. It is unknown what the actual source was that ignited the explosion, he said in a news release.
Preliminary investigation indicated the blast wasn t the result of a criminal act, he said.
The Jackson County Sheriff s Office continued to investigate circumstances of the blast, which occurred about 6:15 p.m. May 10 at the house where Griffiths and his wife, Teri Griffiths, lived at 27284 Q.4 Road, more than three miles north of Holton.
One dead after house explosion in northeast Kansas
By the Associated Press:
Officials in northeastern Kansas say a house explosion has left one man dead and a woman seriously injured.
The explosion happened around 6 p.m. Monday about 3 miles north of Holton. Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse says firefighters and medics arriving at the scene found the home leveled and on fire.
Morse said 61-year-old Billy “Lu” Griffiths died in the explosion. The woman was flown to Kansas City hospital with serious injuries. Her name has not been released.
Morse says investigators believe the home was under renovation, and officials have not ruled out a gas leak as the cause of the explosion.